


This Is A Leash

by marsakat



Series: teleportation!au [1]
Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Accidental Voyeurism, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Masturbation in Shower, Realization, Teleportation, tyler thinks he's going crazy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-26
Updated: 2016-05-04
Packaged: 2018-06-04 16:21:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6665692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marsakat/pseuds/marsakat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tyler has developed the skill of being right where Josh needs him, right when he needs him, though it's starting to get awkward and Tyler keeps having weird blackouts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was sad last night and wrote this to cheer myself up!

The first time it happens, Tyler isn’t even sure what it was.  One minute he was closing his eyes for a nap, and wondering where Josh was in the venue.  Then there was a brief _twistingpressuresqueeze_ and his eyes flew open to find himself standing outside Josh’s dressing room unsure of how he got there.  Did he sleepwalk? How much time had passed?  He didn’t even know why his legs took him here of their own accord.  Tyler did the only thing that made sense; he knocked on the door.

“Come in!” Josh called, “Oh hey Tyler!  I was just thinking about you.  I found this game on my phone I think you’d like.”

As Josh launched into a demonstration, Tyler wondered briefly if he should mention the strange sensation, but he filed it away for later.

* * *

 

The next occurrence definitely tipped him off that maybe he was having amnesiac blackouts?  Or were they dissociative events?  Either way, Tyler somehow ended up traveling from the radio station back to the hotel without anyone else able to tell him how.  He was all alone in the corridor.  Once again Tyler had felt that sensation and in a sense of déjà vu, he was standing in front of a door.  He knocked and just like last time, there was Josh.

“Oh um, Tyler.  What’s up?” Josh gave a weak smile, “You’re back earlier than I thought.”  His voice wavered slightly.

“I guess I am.  Is something wrong?” Tyler asked suspiciously, watching Josh wipe at his eyes.

“No.  No there isn’t.  I was just…sleeping.” 

From many years of knowing him, and studying, examining his face, Tyler knew that Josh was 110% lying to him.  That wasn’t his ‘just-woke-up’ expression.  Tyler realized with crushing awareness that Josh had definitely been crying.

“Dude, tell me what’s going on.”  Josh’s face began to crumble and Tyler swooped in, guiding him to sit on the little couch and grabbed a bottle of water.  Josh rarely had breakdowns, but when he did, it was a matter of getting him to talk about the thoughts he was hiding.  Tyler was there to reassure and comfort, distract from the doubt and homesickness. 

Josh hiccupped once all the venting was done, “Sorry for being like this.”

Tyler pat his knee, “Bro, I’m the last person to judge you—you know that.  Everyone deserves a good cry, okay?  I’m starving, let’s go find somewhere to eat.  Hey, where is my phone?!” He searched his pockets and turned up nothing.

Josh grabbed his own phone from the nightstand and found many missed calls and texts.

“Hey Tyler, apparently you’re missing.”

“What?!”

Josh was already calling Michael back, who seemed about seconds away from alerting the National Guard.

“Put Tyler on the phone now!”

“Yo," He tried to sound casual.

“Tyler, they will not find your body if you ever pull this again.  I am shaking so bad right now, I think I’m having an aneurysm.  Don’t do that to me!”  Tyler had never heard Michael so hysterical.

“Hey, I’m really sorry.  I honestly don’t know how—”

“I thought you were kidnapped.  No one saw you leave and you left your stuff—your phone, your ukulele, behind.   What the hell is going on?”

“I dunno, I’ve just been with Josh this whole time.”

“I love you man, but I also really hate you right now.  Both of you better be at the venue in two hours for soundcheck or—or—I don’t even know what will happen.  I’m thinking about imbedding GPS tracking devices into your neck.”

“Yikes,” Josh said once Tyler hung up after many apologies and promises of bringing food for everyone.  Tyler didn’t care though.  Any time he could be there for Josh made whatever ‘punishment’ he had to face—usually something very good natured—totally worth it.

* * *

These little ‘events’ kept happening more frequently and Tyler wanted to see someone about it.  Maybe a psychiatrist since it was possibly dissociation; however, he was just too busy on tour to find someone.  Besides, he reasoned, they weren’t that bad.  He lost possibly a few minutes or maybe just seconds, and every time he came back to awareness, he was safe and near Josh.  And Josh didn’t have a problem with it because Tyler always seemed just in time to help Josh out with something, or see a funny video Josh thought he’d enjoy.

It may just be sleepwalking, because frequently Tyler would apparently drop out of his own bunk and roll into Josh’s.  He landed heavily on top of the drummer, causing both of them to wake up with yells of pain.

“It’s like you subconsciously want to snuggle,” Mark said after this happened three days in a row.

“Maybe you should just start off in the same bunk?”

“Too hot for that,” Josh said.

But after the fifth night in a row, they crawled into an empty bottom bunk together, saying “I’m sick of being woken up by Tyler’s bony ass falling on me.”

* * *

The episodes even had him end up in a nightclub, which was the opposite of anything Tyler ever wanted to do on a quiet night off.  He was settled into his bunk ready to watch a movie on his laptop when next thing Tyler knew, he was surrounded by sweaty, grinding bodies and the rough thump of electronic music.  He was still in track pants and an old tank top—probably not the most suitable ‘going out’ clothes but what does Tyler even know about what happens at these kinds of places?

He recalled the crew saying something about going clubbing that night…what are they chances they were here?  Tyler hoped that of all the gin joints in this city, his blackout landed him at the one that would at least have his friends.  He also was pretty sure he didn’t have his wallet so he was stuck with no idea where he was.

Tyler gave a silent ‘thank you’ to whoever was responsible for this huge coincidence as he saw the crowd of familiar faces standing by several tall tables.  They were ecstatic to see him, and it almost made coming out tonight worth it. Tyler didn’t tell them about the blackout, saying he just “wanted to check out the scene,” as explanation for his apparent change of heart.

“Who’s here tonight?” Tyler asked John, who listed pretty much everyone, which made a lot of sense to Tyler.  The bus had been really empty after all—sometimes he just didn’t notice those things.

“Where’s Josh?”  The pink-haired drummer was the only person Tyler hadn’t seen yet.  Most assembled crew were talking and drinking, or else dancing with strangers.

“He’s…I don’t know.”

“I think I saw him over there—” Tyler went off in the direction pointed.  He just wanted to say hey.  To show off that he was ‘out on the town’ (if not by his own conscious choice).  Bodies moved against him, and Tyler shouted apologies as he shoved past.  The dancing light and smokiness of the room was giving him a headache.  He was usually overstimulated from too much sound and noise on a daily basis, and Tyler wished he was back in his bunk.

This place was huge and there was no way Tyler was going to find Josh.  He sighed and closed his eyes before deciding to join the rest of the group.  Maybe he’d be able to convince some people to go back with him to the bus, or at least give money for a cab.  All these thoughts, and was it exhaustion or was he being _pulledpushed_ into black?

Tyler opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was Josh pushed up against a wall, kissing someone.  It completely threw Tyler off, which was weird because it was far from the first time he’d ever seen Josh make out with someone.  Tyler knew about everyone Josh ever dated, and he had watched him hook up with several strangers before.  Tyler wasn’t sure about this time thought—it felt almost like a betrayal of their sacred bunk-sleeping-arrangement pact that he had to remember didn’t exist.

The guy was taller than Josh, and he had to duck his head to meet Josh’s lips while his hips pressed the drummer into the wall.  Tyler could see the grinding motion move down the stranger’s spine.  Josh’s hands ran along the man’s back to rest on the curve.  It was way too intimate how he curled a hand along Josh’s neck, kissing down the side, and Tyler felt guilty for watching this long.  Josh looked blissful, eyes possibly closed, but it was hard to tell in this lighting.

A bruise was sucked into Josh’s neck and his eyes opened wide.  Tyler couldn’t hear the noise Josh made, but even he felt a hot flush.  Tyler should go; he should walk away and go to bed, leaving his friend with whoever this was.

But he was caught, and Josh’s face read pure shock at seeing Tyler watch him like this.  Tyler dashed away, able to convince some of the crew to go back with him.  He didn’t confront the feelings rolling around his chest.  They were new and scary and Tyler pretended they weren’t there, just like he pretended Josh came back to the bus that night.  He would tease him the next day for the bruises on his neck, just like they always did.  Tyler was good at pretending.

* * *

Tyler was minding his own business in the hotel.  Usually the pools shut down at 10 or 11 and it was far too late when they made it back after the show.  This hotel kept the pool open 24/7 and Tyler was enjoying a very late night swim.  Everyone else was horsing around in the shallow end as Tyler floated on his back unperturbed by their distant splashing.  He was tired but this was so refreshing.  Josh and Mark had left already, saying they were both too wiped out, and Tyler laughed at them in his head for missing out.

It was unexpected as it always was, but Tyler recognized the onset of the _twistingpressuresqueeze_ and when he opened his eyes, he was standing in a bathroom.  He caught his terrified face dripping wet in the mirror before he whipped around because the shower was running and **there was someone in it.**

And whoever it was was making noises that they probably would not appreciate someone else listening in on.  He had to get out of there fast.  Tyler crept to the door, debating the best way to sneak out.  There was undoubtedly going to be a major draft in the steamy bathroom, and probably a noise as the door was opened and closed.  Should he go slow or should he open and depart quickly, like tearing off a bandaid? 

Tyler was taking entirely too long to make his decision, trying to ignore the moans coming from the shower.  His thoughts were racing so much that he couldn’t be held accountable for what happened next.

“Oh…Tyler.”

“Yeah?”  He responded without thinking, and immediately, unintentionally revealed his location.

Josh swore loudly out of shock and his head peaked from around the shower curtain.  They stared at each other in disbelief.

“Wh-what?  How d-did?  Oh my God,” Josh stuttered and Tyler gaped at him, speechless.

“I am so sorry!”  Tyler sprinted out of the bathroom and away from the most awkward moment of his entire life.  He had to run down to the pool to get his stuff and his room key, giving no explanation to whoever was still there as they asked where he disappeared to.  Tyler’s heart was beating out of his chest and he needed to be alone before he freaked out completely.  He sat, still damp on the bed in his private room and ran fingers through his hair.  There was so much to think and process—and holy crap, did Josh just moan his name while jerking off in the shower?

That thought could wait until later, there were more terrifying things to realize and understand.  How the hell did he end up there?  The doors were locked—the door to the hotel room, and the door to the bathroom.  This was beyond blacking out and waking up in a new place!  He had to put his head between his knees as the dizzying realization overcame him.  Tyler could teleport.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get answers and no answers all at the same time. Also, revenge is sweet

It all made sense now.  These blackouts, the weird sensation, waking up in a new place.  He wasn’t going crazy, though most people would probably say believing you had a special ability was a sign of insanity.  Tyler was honest-to-god teleporting.  He had no idea how or why, but it was definitely happening.

He tried to do it; see if he could move from the bed to the doorway (really he wanted to teleport all the way back to his home and away from this situation, but that was out of the question).  But for all his trying, he wasn’t able to do it upon command.  Tyler tried to think about the conditions in which he teleported.  He wasn’t ever doing anything in particular, it seemed he was just pulled out of wherever he was and sent off.  Was there something about the destination?

That answer came easily, since there was only one common denominator in his newfound power.  Whenever and wherever he teleported, Tyler would always end up with Josh.  Something about Josh was affecting this and—

There was a hammering on his door that caused him to jump out of his reverie.

“Tyler Robert Joseph, I know you’re in there!  Open the damn door, we need to talk!”  Speaking of which, Josh was yelling, not caring about the late hour and other hotel guests.  Tyler knew he had to face him, even though this...ability was out of his control.  He sounded so pissed, that Josh would probably break down the door, so Tyler opened it quickly, dodging hands that were still in the process of hitting the door with (considerable) might.

Tyler hadn’t seen Josh this angry and upset before.  He was still wet, and his face was bright red.  For such a mild mannered guy, he looked ready to breathe fire.

"What the hell were you doing in my bathroom while I was naked?"

"Josh, this is going to sound very unlikely, but..."

"Dude, seriously. I'm ready to hear how and why you got past two locked doors to listen to me in shower!"

"Josh. I can teleport."

There was absolute silence and Josh still looked ready to explode. And then he deflated somewhat as he took a deep breath and exhaled shakily.

"Um...what?"

"Think about it! It makes sense! Everything! Why I've been disappearing and reappearing in random places, why I kept landing in your bunk, how I got through the locks. I thought I was having blackouts but actually I'm teleporting!"

Josh's mouth was hanging open.  He grabbed Tyler by the head.

"Dude, what the hell? Ow!"

"I'm checking your skull for bumps.  You've probably got a concussion or something because that's. not. possible."

After a few minutes, Josh released Tyler's head from the examination and looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"Prove it. Teleport right now," he said, crossing his arms.

"I, uh, can't. I've been trying."

"Well, how does it normally happen?"  Josh took on the air of going along with what he considered to be a delusion.

"I'll just be doing my thing and then I feel this pressure and then...I'm with you.  Josh, I think you're doing something to me."  Tyler sat down heavily on the bed and Josh pulled at his own hair.

"I am?! You're blaming me for this?"

"I'm not blaming you, that's just the only thing that makes sense."

"None of this makes any sense!"

Tyler had an idea.  “Stay here,” He lept up and grabbed his phone, “I’m going to go down the hall and then teleport back here.”

Josh raised an eyebrow, “Go for it.”

Tyler ran quickly, and then stood with his eyes screwed shut.  He pictured the inside of the room, he spun around in a circle until he collided with the wall, he imagined himself flying through the air—nothing.  He concentrated on Josh’s presence, but still he didn’t materialize back inside the room.  Feeling frustrated and insane again, he called Josh, who sounded like he was holding back laughter now.

“Yeah man, I don’t think it’s working.  Maybe you need to wave your magic wand or something?”

Tyler ran fingers through his hair trying to think back on what had caused him to teleport before.  If Josh was the important factor, maybe it wasn’t something Tyler was doing…maybe it really was Josh?

“Hey, dude.  Think about me.  Like really focus on me.”

“Um, okay,” Josh breaths crackled the phone line, “Nope…still nothing.”

“You’re not trying hard enough!  You gotta like—need me to be there or something!”  Tyler closed his eyes.

“I need you to stop messing around.”

“Josh please—” And then it happened.

The drummer jumped about a foot in the air and dropped his phone. 

Tyler did a half curtsy, and sarcastically said “Ta-da!”

“Holy crap, Tyler.  You can teleport!”  Josh sunk down on the couch.

“Evidently.”

“And-and-and I am the one making you do it?”

“Probably.” 

Josh dropped his face into his hands.  “This is so humiliating.”  It hung in the air what transpired earlier, why Tyler had been summoned to Josh’s bathroom.

“So, um, have you been consorting with any witches?  Take a fortune cookie from a stranger?”  Tyler tried to cut the tension.

“This isn’t Freaky Friday.  This is real life!  What are we supposed to do?”

“I…dunno.  Maybe just don’t…need me for anything?”

“Oh, okay.  Well I think I’ll just go to bed.  Sorry, if I ‘require’ you or something when I’m asleep since apparently that’s been, uh, happening.”  Josh stood, and hovered as if he had something more to say.  But then he left with not another word said, Tyler staring at the shut door as if it held the answers.

* * *

 

“Josh, are you avoiding me?”  Tyler cornered him

“No, I definitely am not avoiding you.” Josh tapped drumsticks on his thighs.

“Then why are you hiding in a janitors’ closet and not in your dressing room?”

“I, um, feel like being in small spaces.  And I was looking for, uh—Lysol wipes.  I needed to clean…things.  Why are _you_ even here, huh?”

“I was looking for you!  Because you’ve been avoiding me.  Best friends don’t avoid each other when they’re upset.”

“I’m not upset…”

“Josh, you literally haven’t talked to me in two days.”

“I’m sorry.  I’m just,” Josh sighed, “I’m just really embarrassed, okay?”

Tyler reached out to pat him on the shoulder, “That’s alright, dude.  But this is kinda out of our control.  So let’s not let it ruin our lives.  Now come on, I’ve heard there is a haunted basement in this venue and I need a super cool, tough dude to back me up.”

* * *

Tyler was convinced that Josh, while he might be the coolest, nicest person he knew, was also a mischievous dick that is clearly abusing his special ability.  Now all was cool between them, Josh had gotten a lot of pleasure out of summoning Tyler at inopportune moments.

It had started small with Josh laughing his butt off by teleporting Tyler away from food.  While a minor inconvenience, it was quite funny.  But Josh simply crossed the line when Tyler was _this close_ to beating several people at a new video game they’d just bought, and then _whoosh_ he was sent outside of the bus just in time to lose everything.  Tyler hated everyone as they clearly had put Josh up to it.  He chased Josh through the parked buses, into the venue and back out through an exit right into a crowd of waiting people.  And damn Josh for being so fast as Tyler was swarmed by fans who were confused but excited by his unexpected arrival, clutching an Xbox controller and in sweatpants.

(Tyler got his revenge by climbing on top of a trailer—don’t tell Michael—and pelting Josh with water balloons as he came back to the bus after a Starbucks run.)

Then there was the time Josh managed to teleport him to a hotel lobby in just his briefs.  Josh seemed shocked enough by his appearance that Tyler considered maybe he didn’t intend to do.  But that wasn’t sufficient proof  to make Tyler feel any guilt for filling Josh’s shoes with shaving cream.

* * *

Tyler didn’t usually wander around cities, but he was feeling stir crazy and hungry enough to search for some place to eat.  And maybe he misjudged the time and the neighborhood he was walking in, but it was all looking a bit sketchy to him.  Tyler’s paranoia amped up as he was sure there was someone following him.  No one else was around except a figure that stuck to the shadows and he was tailed for a few blocks. 

He realized with increasing panic that he had no idea where he was.  And he really didn’t want to pull out his phone and show something valuable to whoever was behind him.  Tyler put up his hood, trying to make himself look as threatening as possible.  And the footsteps were so close to him now, Tyler balled his hands into fists, ready to fight, when he felt the _darknesspressure_ and he was gone.

When he opened his eyes, and there was Josh in front of him, grinning.  He was back in the hotel, in their shared room.  The dark figure was gone, and he was _safe._   Tyler felt such relief that he launched himself at the drummer and kissed him full on the lips.

“Oof!” Josh grunted, “Um…what brought that on?”  He asked once they drew apart.

“Dude, you saved me.  You’re like my knight in shining armor!” Tyler was shaking from all the emotional turmoil he went through in the span of a few minutes.  Hunger, fear, liberation.

“Sick!”  Josh shuffled his feet. “Um, I sent you here to see if you wanted to watch a movie or something, but can I, uh, kiss you again?”

Tyler didn’t realize he took forever to respond since he was too busy staring at Josh’s mouth, realizing with shock at what he’d done.  Where had those feelings come from?  Tyler didn’t even know he wanted him like that, it was just…there.  Had it always been? 

It’d been so quick, and Tyler wondered what it’d be like to do it for longer, what it’d feel like to drag teeth along skin, to taste the inside of his mouth.

 “Um, hey?”  Josh waved his fingers in front of his face.

“Oh, uh yeah. Yeah you can,” Tyler shook himself back to the present.  He let Josh slide jumpy fingers along his jaw, holding him in place so their lips could meet again.  They stood unmoving for several heartbeats, Tyler’s hands hanging by his sides and they twitched nervously, unsure if he was allowed to explore.  Josh’s thumb rubbed across his cheeks, and Tyler took the cue to place his hands on Josh’s hips and open his mouth to lick into closed lips.  Josh let him in, and they drew shallow breaths through their noses, unwilling to separate until it became just too much.

“Okay, wow,” Josh said, and Tyler took in reddened, wet lips and blown pupils, figuring he didn’t look any less debauched.

Josh began to walk backwards and Tyler followed without a word as the drummer sat on the edge of his bed.  Tyler settled onto his lap, enjoying the warm weight of hands on his lower back.  They didn’t stop to think about how quickly this was happening, until a heavy knocking on the door brought them crashing back down to reality.  They froze and stared at each other as familiar voices yelled through the closed door.

 “Yo guys, we’re ordering takeout!”

“Come on out!”

Tyler was reminded that yeah, he was hungry.

“Sorry, man. I gotta eat,” Tyler ruffled Josh’s hair and extricated himself to the pursuit of dinner.  Josh would forgive him.  He always did.

* * *

A few weeks passed, and tour was going to end soon.  There was still no explanation as to where the teleportation powers came from, but Josh made even more use of it for their sneaking around.  Tyler had given up on pranking him in return since the end result of being pulled away was usually pretty awesome (making out).

But Josh had abandoned him to go out with Synder and Michael, even though Tyler pulled his most desperately seductive faces to convince him.  It was the last hotel night of tour, and he wanted to make the most of it, but Josh wasn’t with the program today.  Fundamentally it just wasn’t fair Josh could do all the summoning and Tyler was stuck here, bored.

He closed his eyes, deciding to think of an adequate revenge when suddenly a heavy weight fell on him.

“Ahh!” Tyler may or may not have screamed, as Josh looked utterly confused as to why he was in a completely new place.

“No fricking way!” Josh shouted.

“Did I just—oh my God! Yes! Yes!” Tyler leapt up, cackling and dancing tauntingly at him.  He buried his head in a pillow as Tyler celebrated.

“This sucks.”

“Josh, dude, you don’t even know what’s in store for you.  I changed my mind. Teleportation is awesome.”

**Author's Note:**

> I was inspired by some interview where they were asked if they had any special skills and Tyler said "Josh can teleport." The title and some other stuff will make more sense in the second part ;-)
> 
> shivermepickles or teeentyonepilots on tumblr. hit me up for prompts, yo!


End file.
